Immediate Mail Services company unfurls the biggest U.S. flag in Liverpool

Want to see Old Glory waving in the wind like you’ve never seen her before?

Liverpool residents and visitors can celebrate Flag Day on Friday, June 14, by driving past Immediate Mail Services (IMS), at 245 Commerce Blvd.

The Star-Spangled Banner flying there is one of the largest U.S. flags on display in Central New York. With a width (or hoist) of 24 feet and a length (or fly) of 35 feet, the IMS flag stands as one of the most impressive spectacles in Liverpool.

Flag Day is celebrated every June 14 because on that day in 1777 the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution adopting the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States of America. In 1916, prompted by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation establishing June 14 as Flag Day across the country. President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported Flag Day during World War II, and in August 1949 and Act of Congress officially recognized National Flag Day.

Two of the nation’s most famous Flag Day parades take place in New York State, one in Troy and one in Hudson.

The week of June 14 is designated as “National Flag Week,” during which U.S. citizens and all government buildings are urged to fly the American flag for the duration of the week.

It’s truly awe-inspiring to watching the huge banner unfurl in the breeze. It’s far larger than the flags flown at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., which are usually 5×8 or 8×12 feet.

Why does IMS, a provider of print, electronic and mail communications, revel so immensely in the Red, White and Blue? The answer is old-fashioned American patriotism.

“We look at the flag display as a way in which our organization can show our support for our country, and a way in which we can honor those that have served our nation in the armed forces,” said IMS President and Chief Operating Officer John Mashia Jr.

Illuminated at night, the mammoth flag flies 24-hours-a-day, 365 days of the year from a tall flagpole in front of the company building on Commerce Boulevard, just north of the Thruway, between Vine and Tulip streets. Manufactured by Valley Forge Flag Co. of Wyomissing, Penn., such massive flags retail for approximately $1,400.

“We fly all-weather flags,” Mashia said, “one specific for the winter and one for the summer.”

The enormous flag is the brainchild of IMS’s current chairman and CEO, Lee Vanderpool. About five years ago, he decided to fly the flag in front of the building and up it went in June 2009.

“He wanted it to be something special,” Mashia said. “He wanted a flag that would not be missed and one that would inspire a positive reaction from the community. Once he shared his idea, it created a tremendous amount of excitement within our organization. Lee has an amazing sense of patriotism.”

Patriotism is important to the IMS business philosophy.

“We believe in the American dream and do our best to provide an environment for our employees to grow and be successful,” Mashia said. “We’re very lucky to have great employees who bring their very best to our organization on a daily basis. We’re a service organization, and this attitude translates into how we produce our product offerings and how we take care of our clients. Our team always has a ‘go above and beyond attitude’ when it comes to our customers.”

Many of those employees have served in the US military in conflicts ranging from World War II to Afghanistan.

Founded in 1986 as a pioneer in the presort mail industry, IMS has grown into a multi-channel communications leader, a fully integrated service-provider of print, electronic and mail communications which aim to lower costs, increase effectiveness and simplify operations for its customers. But the giant flag is not only for employees and customers; it’s also for the community.

“Over the years we’ve received numerous phone calls and handwritten notes from both veterans and other citizens thanking us for flying the flag,” Mashia said. “Hearing this positive feedback from the community makes it all worth it.”